ERC
Master ERC review: Vlček makes history
Martin Vlček made FIA European Rally Championship history as the first driver to win the FIA Master ERC title after ex-Formula One driver Jos Verstappen led initially. Here’s a refresher.
Who won? A regular top 10 contender on events in Czech Republic, Martin Vlček became Czech Rallysprint champion in 2012 and secured back-to-back Czech P2+ crowns between 2016 and 2017. He switched to Hyundai power for the 2019 season, which was curtailed by a huge crash on Barum Czech Rally Zlín. Fully recovered, he returned to the event in 2021 and had the honour of giving Hyundai’s new i20 N Rally2 its ERC debut on his home championship round. His Master ERC bid was his first campaign outside Czech Republic.
How? Three podiums from the first three events put Vlček in the driving seat. After a tricky mid-season run, when he managed 11 points out of a possible 60, Vlček hit back by taking his maiden win on Barum Czech Rally Zlín on his first outing in a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2. He returned to his familiar Hyundai i20 N Rally2 for JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion and made it back-to-back victories. He was assured of the new-for-2025 title after his closest rival and Kowax DST Racing team-mate, Dariusz Biedrzyński, elected not to start the season-deciding Croatia Rally.
Key moment? Jos Verstappen appeared to be the driver to beat after a win and a second-place finish in the opening two rounds. But crashes in Sweden and Poland knocked him off course. After he failed to start Rally di Roma Capitale following a car-wrecking testing crash, the Dutchman called time on his ERC season.
Ex-Formula One star Verstappen impressed during the opening rounds
© ERC
Did you know? Vlček is the owner of welding tools company Kowax, a key partner in the Kowax DST Racing alliance.
What did Vlček’s co-driver Jakub Kunst say: “It was an amazing season for us and we are the winner of the Master ERC category. It’s a very good result for us and we are proud to be the first winner of this category. We have a lot of experience and I want to say a big thank you to our team, Kowax DST Racing, for their hard work all season and, of course, thanks to our families for their support. Master ERC is a great championship and we hope to be back next season.”
Co-driver Kunst and Vlček celebrate Master ERC glory
© ERC
Who else shone in 2025? Giandomenico Basso, András Hadik, Sasa Ollé and Henning Solberg joined Verstappen and Vlček in winning Master ERC rounds in 2025.
Although Dariusz Biedrzyński completed the inaugural Master ERC season without a victory, his consistency was enough for second place in the standings ahead of double event winner Hadik and Verstappen.
Biedrzyński finished runner-up to Kowax DST Racing team-mate Vlček
© ERC
Eamonn Boland, Norman Kreuter and Zoltán László finished in the top 10 of the final standings.
Master ERC 2025 at a glance
Champion: Martin Vlček (Czech Republic)
Runner-up: Dariusz Biedrzyński (Poland)
Third place: András Hadik (Hungary)
Hadik took two Master ERC event victories
© ERC
Event winners:
42nd Rally Sierra Morena - Córdoba Patrimonio de la Humanidad (3 - 6 April)
Jos Verstappen (NED)/Renaud Jamoul (BEL) Škoda Fabia RS Rally2
ERC Staff House Rally Hungary (9 - 11 May)
Sasa Ollé (HUN)/Rebeka Ollé (HUN), Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo
BAUHAUS Royal Rally of Scandinavia (29 - 31 May)
Henning Solberg (NOR)/Stéphane Prévot (BEL), Škoda Fabia RS Rally2
ORLEN OIL 81st Rally Poland (13 - 15 June)
András Hadik (HUN)/István Juhász (HUN), Ford Fiesta RS Rally2
Rally di Roma Capitale (4 - 6 July)
Giandomenico Basso (ITA)/Lorenzo Granai (ITA), Škoda Fabia RS Rally2
Barum Czech Rally Zlín (15 - 17 August)
Martin Vlček (CZE)/Jakub Kunst (CZE), Škoda Fabia RS Rally2
JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion (5 - 7 September)
Martin Vlček (CZE)/Karolína Zubíčková (CZE), Hyundai i20 N Rally2
Croatia Rally (3 - 5 October)
András Hadik (HUN)/István Juhász (HUN), Škoda Fabia RS Rally2
